She Will Be Loved
by justanoutlaw
Summary: The Lost Get Found remix. Mary Margaret and David begin fostering 5-year-old, Emma Swan. Despite being so young, she's been through a world of torment. Can they actually become a family?
1. Chapter 1

This is the story that I promised a long time ago, a remix of The Lost Get Found. Emma has the same backstory, but her first foster home is Snowing, rather than not being placed with them until she's 13. This story, like TLGF will include mentions of abuse and infertility. As always, let me know what you think and what you want to see happen.

* * *

 **Chapter One: Placement**

Mary Margaret sat next to her husband in the office setting, remembering the last time they had been in such a one. It had been only 6 months prior, but it felt like it had been years. The word that doctor kept repeating ran through her mind: sterile. It reminded her of how the expected a hospital. Sterile. Was that really how you were supposed to talk about someone's reproductive system?

They wanted children, so badly. Yet, they couldn't have any. She and David had gotten married shortly after they graduated for college. They had been trying ever since to have a baby and nothing ever worked. After that last doctor's appointment, they discussed their options. There was IVF, surrogacy or adoption.

David ended up coming across a YouTube channel that featured families that fostered and later adopted children. They decided to focus on getting their license to foster. It had taken some time, but finally they had obtained it. Just a few weeks after, they had gotten a call from their social worker, she had a file for them to go over.

Mary fidgeted with her cardigan. "Maybe I should've changed when I left work."

"You look fine, plus we're already approved foster parents," David pointed out.

"I know, I just…"

"Hey," he put a hand on her shoulder. "This is going to be okay, we're going to get a child."

"I'm sorry it has to be this way…"

"Hey," he tipped her chin up to look at him. "Don't go there again, please. I told you, this isn't your fault. I don't care how we have a child, I don't need him or her to share our DNA."

Mary chewed on her lip. "Are you sure?" She felt the same way he described, but she was still so nervous about him walking away.

"All I want is to raise a child, with you." He kissed her. "All of this is going to work out, I promise."

The door opened and Helen stepped in, a large manila envelope in her hands. She gave them a polite smile as she sat behind the desk.

"Sorry it took me a bit, I had an emergency with one of my other clients," she said.

Mary nodded. "It's fine, don't worry. I hope everything is okay."

"Perfectly fine. Anyway, I have the file for you. If you two feel you can handle it, I can have her placed with you within the next couple of days."

"Her?" Mary smiled over at David and he gave her one in return. "It's a girl?"

"How old is she?" David asked.

"5. She's from Boston, her name is Emma, Emma Swan."

David cocked his head. "That name sounds very familiar."

"Her biological parents were in the news recently. Her biological father was arrested for…"

All the color drained from his face and his fists clenched. "No."

Mary looked at him confused. "What is it?"

"Ed Swan…Graham was telling me about it…he saw it in the paper. He was arrested for…" He swallowed, his lips turning a bit. "Molesting his daughter and abusing her pretty badly. His girlfriend had died of a drug over dose a few months ago."

Mary felt her stomach go sour. How could someone do such a thing to anyone period, let alone a child? She was so little, so young. All she could do was be grateful that she was removed from his care.

"Where is she now?" Mary asked.

"A group home in Boston, she's only been there a couple of days. She's very confused and scared. We wanted to get her into a new home right away before she gets lost in the shuffle."

"And her biological father?"

"He's facing some very serious charges. They had their eye on him for a while. Chances are, this placement could be for a while. If you two are up for the challenge. Emma is very small for her age, according to her records she was born addicted to drugs. How she ended up back with her parents, I don't know. She has a few health problems, including asthma," Helen said, consulting the file in front of her. "She's also been pretty quiet since she was removed, she has a hard time around men."

David nodded. "I completely understand, she's been through a lot."

"So, you two think you can handle this?"

Mary and David looked at each other once again, before he squeezed his grip on her hand and turned back to the social worker with a smile. "Yes, we can."

"What are the odds…I mean…do you think we'd be able to adopt her eventually?" Mary asked.

"I don't like to give false hope," Helen said. "I really don't. However, Ed is going to be in jail for the next 15 years at the very least. As far as I can tell they have no other family…I do believe that if Emma does well with you, we can petition for Ed's rights to be terminated."

Mary nodded, trying not to get her hopes up. She hadn't even met this little girl yet, but she wanted so desperately for her to be theirs.

"Can I ask you one more thing, Helen?" She asked.

Helen nodded. "Of course."

"Do you happen to know her favorite color?"

* * *

The next evening, Mary Margaret stood in one of their guest bedrooms. She had spent the entire day renovating it. Helen had gone back to Boston and asked Emma about her favorite color, as it turned out, it was yellow. So, she had gotten David to paint the room and she had gone about decorating it. She had gone with white bedding and colorful pillows. There was a bookshelf with picture frames and books that Belle had recommended. She had a step-son who was just a year older than Emma and promised they could arrange some playdates. There was a bedside table with a simple lamp and a vase full of fake roses to brighten the room up anymore. She had selected two chairs: a white rocking chair that had a green and pink paisley cover on it, along with a small owl shaped arm chair. Above the door were green and white polka dot curtains, tied back. She really hoped that Emma would like it.

David walked in the room, holding a shopping bag. Mary turned to him with a smile. "Where have you been?"

"I just went back to the toy store."

"David," Mary gave him a look. "Our living room is almost full with toys."

"I just saw this one thing, I couldn't stop thinking about it." He reached into the bag and pulled out a lamb plushie. "What do you think? I had lambs just like this one on the farm growing up."

Mary giggled. "It's adorable, I think she'll love it." She gently took it from him and placed it on the bed. "Have you told your parents?"

"Yes, they're coming to meet her as soon as they can. Does your step-mom know?"

"She's the mayor of the town, it'd be hard to keep it from her," she teased. "But yes, she knows. She's happy about it."

"That's good." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "We're about to be parents."

"We are." Her smile widened.

"We should get to bed, tomorrow's a big day."

"Maybe I should adjust her bed…"

"The only adjustment you need is your back laying down."

She gave him a mock glare but followed him out of the room. He was right, the next day was going to be a big one…

* * *

Emma rolled out of bed the next morning, looking around the room. It felt so weird, being in this big house. She didn't miss Ed, that was for sure. Even so, she didn't like these other kids. They didn't talk to her, they all played with each other. Keeping a tight hold of her blanket, she walked out of the room and headed down into the kitchen. Her eyebrows furrowed when she saw the woman who had been standing in front of her for the past few days standing with Helen, the person who had dropped her off.

"Oh good, Emma," Rose said. "We have some good news."

"We've found a new home for you," Helen told her. "You have foster parents now, Mary Margaret and David Nolan."

Emma frowned a bit. "I have to move again?"

"You do, but hopefully this is the last time for a while. They're very excited to meet you."

"They're my new mommy and daddy?"

"Not exactly. They're going to be taking care of you for right now."

The whole thing was so confusing for Emma. From what Helen had told her a few days before, she wasn't going to be seeing Ed for a really long time. She was in something called the "foster care system". It meant that she didn't have her parents to take care of her anymore. Her mommy had died and now her daddy was going to jail because he had done things to her that he shouldn't.

"O…okay. Where do they live?"

"Storybrooke, Maine," Helen said.

"So, I won't live in Boston anymore?"

"No, sweetheart."

Rose gestured to the stairs. "Go back up there and change, I washed the clothes you came in. Don't forget your blankie."

Emma slowly headed back up the stairs to the place that had been her room for the past couple of days. Her roommate, Charlotte, was climbing down from her bunk as she got changed.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"I have a new home. In Maine."

Charlotte rolled her eyes. She was a few years older than Emma and had been around the block a few times. "This won't last. You'll be back here in no time."

Emma frowned. She didn't want to believe that, but she honestly didn't know what to think anymore. Once she got back into her day clothes, she headed down the stairs, holding her baby blanket close. It was the only thing she had left from her old house, outside that outfit. They said she couldn't get back any of her few toys or outfits. Her blanket had always been special to her, but it was even more so now.

Helen lead her out to the car and helped her into her car seat. The drive seemed to take forever, but in reality, it was only 4 hours. Emma wasn't able to read yet, it was what got her in trouble at school a lot, but soon Helen pointed out a sign and read it aloud.

"Welcome to Storybrooke."

* * *

Mary Margaret had felt her stomach turn when Helen had explained to her Emma's backstory. She knew going into fostering children that there was a chance that they would come across children that had experienced horrible things, but this was just more than she had ever imagined. It didn't seem fair that people that would abuse a child so badly would be able to have children. Meanwhile, she and David had been trying for years and hadn't been able to get pregnant.

She was trying to stay positive, for Emma's sake. She wanted her to come into their home and have it be nothing but light and happiness. David stood by her side, rubbing her back as they waited for the social worker to come.

"Are you sure she's going to like her room?" Mary Margaret asked her husband. "Maybe I should…"

"She's going to love it," David promised her.

"What if she doesn't like it here? What if she doesn't want to stay?"

"She may be scared, but we'll take it one day at a time. She's been through so much, we just have to be there for her."

Before she could respond, they heard a car pull up in the driveway. Mary opened the door and found their social worker, Helen, stepping out of the car with a tiny blonde. She had the biggest green eyes that Mary Margaret had ever seen and was wearing a pair of worn down overalls. She had a few bruises lining her arms and her hair was a mess of curls. Under her arms was a baby blanket trimmed with purple lace. Mary Margaret hid a gasp at how small she looked. She was meant to be 5, but looked so much younger than that. Carefully, Helen lead her up the steps to the house.

"Emma, these are the people I was telling you about, Mary Margaret and David. David, Mary Margaret, this is Emma," Helen introduced them.

Mary Margaret knelt in front of Emma, holding out her hand. Emma looked hesitant, but then reached forward, shaking it. "It's nice to meet you Emma. We're so happy that you're going to be staying with us."

Emma nodded before looking up at David. She stepped back a bit, putting a thumb in her mouth. David gave her a soft smile, he had been expecting that, giving her history with men. "It's okay, Emma. We can take our time getting to know each other."

Emma seemed relieved at that and together, they made their way inside. Helen had the couple fill out some final paperwork before promising to be in touch, making sure that Emma had her card. Mary Margaret turned to Emma, who was still sucking her thumb and cuddling her blanket close.

"Would you like to see your room?" She asked. Emma nodded. "Alright, I'll do that and David will fix us some lunch."

"Do you like grilled cheese?" David asked, causing Emma to nod once more. He smiled at her. "Great."

Mary Margaret lead Emma up the stairs, pointing out her and David's room which was just down the hall from hers. She lead her foster daughter into her room. Emma's eyes grew even wider at the sight of it. There were toys along the floor. Emma removed her thumb from her mouth, looking up at her foster mother.

"This is my room?" She asked. It was the first time she had spoken since she arrived and her voice was so little, quiet.

"Yes, sweets."

"And these toys are all mine?"

"That's right. There's even more in the living room."

"Wow," she breathed.

Emma walked over to her bed and found a stuffed lamb sitting there. She gently picked it up, examining it.

"David picked that out for you," Mary Margaret told her. Emma seemed to smile just a tiny bit and hugged it closer, wrapping her blanket around it a little. "That's a very pretty blankie."

"I can keep it? You don't think I'm too big?"

Mary Margaret shook her head. "Of course not." She knelt back down in front of Emma. "I know you've had a hard time, Emma, but I promise we're the good guys. We want you to be happy here."

Emma bit her lip as she stared up at her. She wasn't sure if she could trust her or David yet, but she wanted to. "Okay," she whispered.

Mary Margaret smiled and put a hand on Emma's back. Hopefully in time, they could make her an official part of the family.

"Come on, are you hungry? Your lunch should be ready soon," she said.

Emma nodded. "Okay."

She followed Mary back down the stairs to the kitchen where David was cooking. She found herself getting closer to her as she saw him. She didn't understand why she was so scared of him, he didn't look like Ed. Maybe he was different, but she couldn't tell. The last man in her life had hurt her, very badly. Ed's friends hadn't been so nice either. She wasn't sure if she was one of them.

"Here, you can sit in this seat," Mary said, pulling one out for her. Emma sat down in it and she barely reached the table. Mary couldn't help but giggle. "Oops, I suppose we'll have to get you a booster seat."

"I'm sorry," Emma whispered.

"Don't be sorry, I am that this silly chair isn't more your side."

"It's like Goldilocks," she said, so soft that David and Mary missed it.

"What was that?"

"Goldilocks and the three bears, the chairs were so tiny, she didn't fit." Emma bit down on her lip, preventing a small smile from going across her face. "My nursery school teacher read it to me."

Mary smiled. "That's a very sweet story," she said. "I had my class read it recently."

"You're a teacher?" Emma asked, her eyes widening, a bit of a sparkle coming about them. "Really?"

"Yes, I teach 4th grade at the same school you're going to."

David walked over, putting down the grilled cheese and apple slices in front of Emma. She looked up at him, curiously.

"Are you a teacher too?" She asked.

David shook his head. "No, I'm the sheriff."

"Oh. What's that?"

He chuckled a bit. "It's a police officer, except I'm the boss."

"Oh," Emma repeated, nodded solemnly. "Being the boss is good."

David grinned. "It is good, I guess."

Mary grabbed a few pillows from the living room and put it on the chair so Emma could reach the table better. She seemed to eat in almost silence, though she was shoveling it down pretty quickly, as if someone was going to take it away from her.

"Slow down, sweetheart," Snow said, gently. "You don't want to choke."

Blush crept across Emma's face. "Sorry, Mary Margaret."

"Don't be sorry. Here, why don't you drink some milk?" She pushed forward a Finding Dory sippy cup.

"Who's that?" Emma pointed to the blue fish on the cup.

Mary playfully widened her eyes. "You've never seen Finding Dory?" Emma shook her head. "Well, we have the movie, we'll watch it when we're done. Does that sound fun?"

Emma hesitantly nodded. "Yeah, it does."

Once the food was finished, Emma grabbed her plate, ready to put it in the sink. However, she also reached for David's. She always had to put both her and Ed's plates in the sink. Since his was glass, though, he took it away, causing a look of worry going across her face. He gave her a smile, trying to make her feel better.

"I've got the plates," he said, taking hers into his hand.

Emma simply jumped out of the chair and followed Mary into the bedroom. David watched after them, doing his best not to sigh. He knew it was going to take time. Once he had sorted out the plates, he headed into the living room where the girls were sitting on the couch. He sat on the other side of Emma and noticed how she inched a bit closer to Mary. All he did was pick up the remote and turn on the film. Emma seemed to enjoy it, she actually smiled a few times throughout it and chatted about it with her new foster mother. By the end, however, she had fallen asleep.

"I guess we didn't account for naptime," Mary said with a slight chuckle. "I'll take her upstairs." She gently lifted Emma into her arms and headed towards the stairs. She turned around when David called back to her.

"We have a little girl to tuck into bed," he said with a grin.

Mary grinned in response. "We do." She looked down at Emma. "Is it weird that I already love her?"

"No, I do too."


	2. Chapter 2

Hey everyone, before we get started, there will be a few things different with this verse. For one, Regina is Mary's former step-mother and they've got a close bond. Ruth and Robert are both alive and apart of David's life. August will also be appearing as one of Emma, Lily and Bae's friends in a later chapter. This chapter discusses past child and domestic abuse. (If you are a fan of Leopold, this story isn't for you.) I had a couple of people ask for Emma to experience bed wetting, so that will be explored in this chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Accidents**

When Emma woke up from her nap, she spread out and realized that she was actually on a comfortable bed. Typically, whenever she fell asleep watching T.V, she was left on a hard floor. Sitting up, she looked around her room once again. As comfy as the bed was, something didn't feel right. She pulled back her covers and realized what was wrong: she had wet the bed. Instantly, her heart began racing as she thought back to Ed. She had been so used to hiding her sheets or trying to wash them herself, anything to avoid a beating.

There had even been times when Ed had screamed at her so hard that she had peed her pants right then and there. She was forced to clean the floor and told that she was a bad girl for soiling her clothes. She didn't want to be a bad girl. This bedroom had been so nice, Mary Margaret and David had worked so hard on it. Climbing down from the bed, she tried to pull the sheets off her bed, but it was harder than at her old house. She was used to sleeping on a mattress that was barely off the floor, this bed was too high.

Little did she realize, her attempt to clean up after herself, got the attention of Mary and David downstairs. They figured she was up and exploring, so they headed up to her room. When they saw her tugging at the sheets, they instantly knew what was wrong and rushed to her side. Emma looked from one to the other and burst into tears. Mary knelt in front of her, pushing hair out of her face.

"Hey, it's okay," she whispered.

"I'm sorry," Emma wailed, not even hearing her foster mother's soothing words. "I'll be a good girl!"

"You're not a bad girl, Emma," Mary soothed. "You just had an accident, everyone has accidents from time to time."

"I…I ruined my clothes. I don't have anything else."

"That's why I got you new outfits, see?" Mary reached over and pulled open the drawers on the dresser. "How about we pick out a new outfit, give you a bath and then we can go to the park?"

Emma sniffled. "I'm not in trouble?"

"Of course not, Princess," David whispered, the nickname just coming naturally. "We're not mad at you."

Emma looked at the two of them in such disbelief, it broke their hearts. Had she really been punished for something that most little kids her age did occasionally? Not to mention, Mary had read that children of abuse often ended up regressing a bit. She supposed they would have to look into pull ups. She also realized that Emma would need a checkup. Hopefully, she could get her in to see the doctor soon.

David knew that he needed to leave the girls alone for the bath, so he kissed Mary's cheek and squeezed Emma's hand. She looked up at him, still in shock. More than anything she expected him to be upset with her. Yet, there was this kindness in his eyes that she had never seen. She didn't realize it, but he was looking at her with all of the love in the world. He grabbed the sheets and headed downstairs to wash them.

Mary lead Emma down the hall to the bathroom and helped her out of her clothes, starting the tub. "I have these bath bombs," she said. She held up a pink one. "This one makes flower petals come out, wanna see?"

Emma nodded hesitantly. Once the tub was filled up enough, Mary threw in the bath bomb and it began to fizzle. It soon turned the bathwater pink and had released little flower petals along with some hearts. Emma's eyes widened in amazement and tiny smile went across her face.

"Whoa," she breathed. "It's like magic."

Mary giggled. "I suppose it is."

As she helped Emma into the tub, she could see the wounds that were on her back. Some of the bruises were brand new, others were fading. Along Emma's shoulder blade, there was a faint scar. Mary reached out, running her finger around it. Emma tensed up in the tub, clearly it was a sensitive issue.

"I'm sorry, sweets," Mary said. "I was just curious. How did that happen?"

Emma bit her lip. "Daddy hit me."

Mary tensed up. "What did he hit you with?"

"A coat hanger. He made me tell the doctor that I fell." She wasn't sure why she wanted to tell the Mary the truth, there was just something about how she had reacted to her accident.

"That wasn't right," Mary told her, gently. "You never have to lie to the doctor."

Emma nodded. "I don't have to lie to you?"

"No, baby. Of course not."

"He said if I told the truth, he'd hurt me more."

"Oh Emma, I promise you. That man will never be able to hurt you again. I will make sure of it."

Emma wasn't sure if she believed her foster mother, but she wanted to. She allowed Mary to give her a bath, playing with a few of the rubber duckies. She slowly felt herself relaxing, not noticing that Mary was taking the opportunity to take her in. Emma was incredibly small for her age, some of her ribs were even showing through her stomach. It was clear that she was malnourished on top of being beaten. Mary just did not understand how a parent could inflict such pain upon a child.

Abuse, unfortunately, was nothing new to her. While she had escaped it in her childhood, she knew that her step-mother was no stranger to it. Mary's mother, Eva, had died when she was quite young. When she was 10, her father ended up marrying a young woman who was only 8 years older than her. It was a business arrangement, Leopold had been business partners with Cora. Regina had been given very little choice in the matter and was forced to become a step-mother straight out of high school.

It was only then that Mary had seen the true side of her father. Any time Regina stood up against Leopold, she was hit. It took years for her to realize that the noises she was hearing at night from the master bedroom were not the two wrestling and she also knew that it wasn't consensual. But Regina was scared, not only for her, but for her step-daughter. She worried if she left, Mary would become the next victim.

Finally, when Mary was 18, she was able to help Regina escape. It took time, but Regina was able to file for divorce. When Leopold found out that his only child had helped her do so, he cut her off. The two had moved into an apartment together, where they both decided to go back to school. It was there that Mary had met David.

She would never regret what she had done to help Regina. Despite their small age gap, she was the closest thing she had to a mother. Regina was excited to be a grandmother to Emma. One thing they both agreed on, was that Leopold would not be a part of Emma's life. She hadn't even spoken to him in over 10 years, so she had great hope that it would not be an issue.

Mary noticed that Emma had taken great interest in her engagement ring. Compared to the silver band in front of it, the emerald stood out. "That's pretty," Emma said.

She smiled. "Thank you. David gave it to me, it was his mommy's."

Emma nodded and continued playing with her rubber duck. Eventually, the bath was over and she was helped out of the tub. Mary dried her off with a fluffy yellow towel that felt so warm and cozy, she almost didn't want to take it off. That was until she saw the outfit that had been picked out for her. It was a brand new pair of jeans and a gray Zootopia shirt that had Judy and Nick on it. She tried to dress herself, but ended up needing some assistance with buttoning the jeans.

"I can't tie my shoes either," she mumbled.

"That's okay, I got you Velcro, just in case." Mary kissed the top of her head, which seemed to take Emma off guard, but then she smiled. That alone, caused Mary's heart to flutter. "Now come on, I think David's waiting on us to go to the park."

Once Emma's hair was dry, they headed downstairs. Mary and David lead her out to the car, where they had a car seat all set for her. David lifted her up into his arms, causing Emma to tense up yet again. However, when he just strapped her into her car seat, she seemed to settle a bit. He gave her a smile and she managed to return one.

The ride to the park was a quick one. School had let out for the day, so there were a few kids Emma's age there. She seemed to stay near Mary, not wanting to venture off. David noticed Mal, one of the town's lawyers. He knew she had a daughter that was going to be in Emma's kindergarten class. Mal had noticed their entrance to the park and was about to send Lily over. However, before she could do anything, the little girl raced over to the Nolans, her wild raven hair blowing in the wind as she did.

"Hiya! I'm Lily," she said to Emma.

Emma leant into Mary's legs, unsure of how to really react to her. Mary gently rubbed her back. "Sweetheart, it's okay. You can play with her if you want."

"I'm on the monkey bars," Lily explained, pointing over to the playground equipment. "Do you wanna play?"

Emma had to admit, it did look fun. Plus, the girl seemed very nice, if a bit overly excited. "Okay…I'm Emma."

"Cool!"

Lily took Emma by the hand and practically dragged her off to the monkey bars. Mal chuckled and walked over to her friends, leaning back against a tree.

"So, how's it going so far?" She asked.

"I don't know," Mary admitted. "She's been through so much."

"She'll barely even go near me," David added. "Which is to be expected, it's just heartbreaking."

"You just have to give it time, it is only day one," Mal reminded them.

David nodded. "We know that. Still doesn't make it hurt any less that she's been through so much pain."

They watched as Emma scrambled up the ladder of the monkey bars. She started swinging from bar to bar like a little monkey. David and Mary watched in amazement. It was clear just how brave she was. Lily was next, being a tad more daring, trying to skip bars along the way, nearly giving her mother a heart attack the entire time. Eventually, the little girls ran over to the jungle gym and started playing on it. David couldn't help but smile as he saw how well they automatically made friends.

Growing up on the farm, his one best friend was his twin brother, James. The two were identical and always up to some kind of mischief. Since they didn't have any neighbors that they could walk to, they ended up spending a lot of time with each other. As they reached their teens, they seemed to go down different paths. David took school very seriously and while he would hang out with friends, they seemed to be the right crowd.

James had gone a completely different way about things. He had fell into the rough group of kids and began dating Jack, one of the "bad girls". There was more to her than met the eye, that much was sure. When she came by the house, she seemed to treat everyone with respect. However, whenever they left the farm, it was nothing but trouble. David warned his brother over and over again to be careful. James swore he was, he knew what he was doing.

Until their senior prom night. David had gone with one of his friends, Abigail. They had stopped by the after party, but then went to their respective homes. James and Jack had stayed. A fight broke out and Jack got mixed up in it all. James had jumped in to save her. Neither of them made it out alive. The guy who killed them had only ended up serving 5 years in prison, because he was drunk. It was all considered manslaughter.

Most may have given up in the justice system, but for David, it made him want to prove that there was still justice out there. Losing his brother nearly tore apart his family. His dad began drinking heavily and his mom spent all day in bed. Family therapy was what saved them all. They still missed James deeply, but knew he would want them to move on with their lives, which was exactly what they had done.

David suddenly found himself fearing Emma's teens for that very reason. It only made him hope that they'd be able to see Emma in her teens. He already knew he wanted to be her dad forever. How could someone like Ed still have his rights? Time would only tell if that was going to change.

* * *

Emma seemed to skip up the walkway when they got back from the park. Mary and David smiled after her, that had definitely been a good idea to get her to perk up. David turned the key in the lock and was about to ask Mary what she wanted to do for dinner, when suddenly they saw a few people standing in their home. Not just any people, but their family. Ruth and Robert were looking at Emma as if they were going to break down into tears. Regina was nearby, a huge smile on her face.

The little girl looked between the three strangers, beginning to feel her heart race. Whenever her biological parents had friends over, nothing good seemed to come from it. Any trace of a smile that she had disappeared from her face and she raced up the stairs. The smiles dropped from Regina, Robert and Ruth's faces.

"What was that all about?" Regina asked.

Mary sighed. "We thought you guys would call first."

"Call? We never call."

"You really should've."

David could see the hurt going across his parents' faces. "We wanted you to meet her, we really did. It's just that she's been through a lot. She was very badly abused, it's taking her time to warm up to us, let alone people we didn't prepare her for."

The hurt was replaced with guilt on Robert's face. "We didn't know."

"What kind of abuse?" Regina asked.

David gnawed on his lip. "There was a lot of physical and we're guessing verbal. But…he also molested her."

Three sets of fits seemed to clench all at once. David wasn't sure that he had ever seen his mother looking so angry before in his life, not that he could blame her.

"Let me go talk to her," Mary said. "I'll see if maybe she wants to come down."

"I made my lasagna," Regina offered. "If it'll help."

Mary smiled softly at her step-mother. "I'll see if it will."

She headed upstairs to Emma's room. She panicked at first when she saw it was empty, until she saw the closet door opened a crack. Carefully, she walked over and opened it. Emma was curled up inside, clinging to her baby blanket and lamb plushie. Mary knelt in front of her.

"Who are all those people?" Emma whispered.

"They're our family," Mary explained, softly. "My step-mom, Regina and David's parents, Ruth and Robert."

"They scared me."

"I know, they didn't mean to. They just were so excited to meet you, we told them all about you."

Emma sniffled. "Really?"

"Uh huh. You don't have to come back downstairs until you're ready, though. Do you want me to sit with you?" Emma shook her head. "Okay, you know where we'll be if you change your mind." She went back down to the rest of the family. "She just needs a few minutes, how about I get drinks for everyone?"

They headed into the kitchen and Regina helped Mary get everyone's preferred beverage. She didn't miss the arm that Regina slid around her waist. It was subtle, but just what she needed in the moment. She knew that watching all that Regina had been through had taught her how to best handle the situation they were all dealing with.

Just as they were getting ready to eat, Emma entered the kitchen, dragging her blanket behind her, still clutching the lamb in her hand. David beamed upon seeing the plushie, glad that she seemed taken with it so soon. Ruth, Robert and Regina were gentle with Emma. It was clear it was killing Ruth to just not wrap Emma in a big hug, but she also wanted to respect her feelings and was doing a good job.

Dinner was a rather lively affair, something Emma wasn't used to. She usually was in charge of her own dinner, which meant cereal or a protein bar if there was anything in the house at all. Most nights she ended up going without eating anything. Her first full meal in months had ben when she was sent to the group home. It had taught her not to be picky about much. She ended up scarfing down her portion of lasagna in no time. Regina served her another portion, this time a little bigger.

"Do you like it?" She asked.

Emma nodded. "It's yummy. I love cheese."

Regina chuckled. "So do I."

Mary reached over to wipe Emma's saucy face, not that it seemed to do much good as time went on. When they got to dessert, Ruth brought out her famous chocolate chip cookies, which also made Emma very happy. As the meal came to a close, Robert nodded over at her lamb plushie.

"That's a cute lamb."

Emma glanced down at it. "David gave it to me."

"It looks like the ones we have on our farm."

Her eyes widened in amazement. "You have a farm?"

"We do. We have sheep, pigs, cows…" He trailed off as he listed all the animals they had.

"Wow," Emma breathed.

"Maybe you could come by and see the farm sometime," Ruth suggested. "We also have a dog named Wilby."

Emma nodded. "Okay." It was the first time she had seemed to confirm to distant plans, which made everyone smile.

"Does your lamb have a name?" Ruth asked.

Emma consulted her new toy for a few minutes, squinting a bit to look at it. They were expecting her to name him something like "Lamby" or "Fuzzy".

"Luke."

Mary grinned. "Where'd you get Luke from?"

"I don't know. That's just his name," Emma replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, which made everyone laugh.

Once dessert was over with, Robert, Ruth and Regina decided it was time to go. They hugged their respective children goodbye, waving to Emma, who seemed a bit sad to see them go. They promised they would see her soon. Mary helped Emma change into her pajamas and tucked her into bed.

"Would you like a story?" She asked. Emma hesitantly nodded and Mary reached over to the shelf, grabbing a book off the shelf titled "I Will Love You Forever".

The words choked Mary up as she read them to her foster daughter.

 _I'll love you forever,_

 _I'll like you for always,_

 _As long as I'm living my baby you'll be._

She had only known this little girl one day and she already meant every sentence that she read. Before the book was even over, Emma had drifted off to sleep. Mary kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, baby," she whispered.

* * *

The following afternoon, the pediatrician managed to squeeze Emma in for her first appointment. She seemed nervous as they waited to be seen, but allowed David to distract her with some of the toys. Eventually, the nurse came out and called them back. She took Emma's weight and took her height. Once inside the room, she inspected Emma a bit as she clung to her foster mother. It was only a few minutes before the pediatrician came in.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Whale, "he said, shaking both David and Mary's hands. He looked down at Emma and gave her a gentle smile. "And you must be Emma."

Emma slowly nodded. "I'm not sick," she told him.

Whale chuckled. "I'm sure you're not, this is just a checkup. Just to see how you're doing."

After consulting her chart, Whale started to run his own tests on Emma. Mary and David did not like the frown that had fallen across his lips. He wasn't saying anything, outside asking Emma where things hurt and what things she enjoyed. Eventually, the frown disappeared and the smile was back.

"Okay, Emma, I'm going to send you off with Nurse Maureen, she's going to take you to color while I talk to your foster parents, okay?"

Emma hesitated and David put a hand on her back. "It's okay," he promised. "We'll see you soon."

Emma reluctantly followed the nurse into another room. Whale lead Mary and David into his office, settling down with a sigh.

"That doesn't sound like a good sigh," David said.

"I will say, it's a miracle that she's still walking around," Whale said, which made them wince. "She is malnourished and has suffered some pretty bad abuse. The way she flinched when I touched her, it's clear that she'll need some counseling. Are you two aware of Dr. Hopper?"

Mary nodded. "We're good friends of his."

"I'd recommend making an appointment."

"She's so skinny," David whispered. "And small."

"As I'm sure you know, according to her records, she was born addicted to drugs. That is why she's on the shorter end," Whale explained. "The weight…that has nothing to do with that. I want to put her on this special formula, it'll help her gain some weight and keep her healthy."

"Does she have any other health issues we should be worried about?" David asked.

"I would just watch out for her leg. According to her records, she fractured it pretty badly last year."

Mary frowned. "Does it say how?"

"Helga Swan told the hospital that she fell down the stairs, but given what I know, I'm doubtful of that."

David slid his hand into Mary's squeezing it.

"Emma's immune system also seems low, I'd be afraid that she could get sick easily, definitely watch out for that," Whale continued. "For the bed wetting, I would recommend some pull ups. If she goes 2 weeks without an accident, then you can go back to regular underwear at night. Outside that, I would just keep on time of everything. She has been through so much, she needs all the help she can get."

"We'll do whatever we need to," Mary told him. "However we can help her, that's what we'll do. You just give us the tools to do so."

Whale grinned. "That, I can do."

* * *

As always, please let me let me know what you thought and what you want to see next! Until next time, my friends. =)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Forever**

Emma didn't know what to think as Mary Margaret pulled the pull ups out of the plastic grocery bag. David had distracted her with being able to pick out cereal while she was buying them. It had been their first trip as a family to the store and it showed just how traumatized Emma was. She stayed by their sides, not speaking. She didn't ask for anything, not once. When they asked for her opinion on something, she seemed surprised. With Ed and Helga, she had been told to just be quiet. She was lucky that she was getting to eat.

Yet, David had let her decide on Cheerios (she loved the bee on the box) and even some other snacks for the home. After the grocery store, they had headed to one next store and she was allowed to pick out a backpack for school, she chose one with a monkey on it. She had perked up the entire way home, until she saw the package in front of her.

"Those are for babies," she told Mary Margaret before holding up a full hand. "I'm 5."

"I know sweetheart, these are for bigger girls like you, because you have accidents."

"I'll be better…I won't have more accidents…"

"Hey," Mary Margaret put a hand on top of hers. "You're not in trouble, sweetheart. These are just to help you, I promise. You only have to wear them when you go to sleep."

Emma chewed on her bottom lip. "No one will know?"

"Just me and David, plus Dr. Whale. I promise."

David nodded in agreement. "They won't be so bad, I promise."

The little girl let out a sigh. "'Kay. Can I go play now?"

"Of course. We'll have dinner in a bit."

"'Kay," she repeated before running off.

Mary Margaret sighed and started to unpack the other groceries. She hated how guarded Emma seemed to be, she was so little. How could someone so small have been through so much pain in their life?

"At least she took it well," David said.

"She just seems so scared every time we bring something up. As if we're going to be mad at her."

"You know it's going to take time. She seems to already trust you."

Mary Margaret sent him a sympathetic look. "And she will you, in time."

"I don't blame her, at all."

"I know this isn't what we pictured when we set out to have a family…"

"Mary," he walked closer to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I don't care about any of that. All I want is to be a father and now I am."

She softly smiled. "You really think we'll be able to adopt her?"

"I know we're going to fight for her, no matter what."

"You bet." She kissed him before returning to putting away the groceries.

They had debated on when it would be best for Emma to start school. Mary Margaret couldn't take proper maternity leave since they were fostering and she hadn't given birth, so they knew they had a couple of options. David could dip into his vacation time and stay home for her, which meant she'd start later than her classmates. The alternative was having Emma start with everyone else. While David wouldn't have minded staying home, they knew it was for the better if she started kindergarten on time. It meant that the next morning, she'd be going to school.

A little after dinner, Mary Margaret lightly knocked on Emma's open door. She looked up and partially smiled upon seeing her foster mother.

"It's getting late, sweets," Mary Margaret said. "Why don't we get into some pajamas and head to bed."

Emma nodded and scrambled up to pick out her pajamas. After allowing Mary Margaret to help change her (including the pull up), she climbed up into bed. She held her blanket and plush lamb close to her.

"So, you start school tomorrow." Mary Margaret smiled. "Are you excited?"

Emma shrugged. "I dunno. Is it going to be hard?"

"No, it's only kindergarten. You'll learn lots of new things and make new friends. Remember Lily, from the park?" Emma nodded. "She'll be in your class."

"People might not like me."

"They'd be crazy not to like you. You're an amazing little girl."

A tiny smile went across her face. "You'll take me?"

"Yup, David too. I'm one of the teachers for a higher grade, though my class doesn't start until the day after yours."

"'Kay…Mary Margaret?"

"Yeah?"

"I sort of like it here." It came out as if it was some sort of secret that she had been holding in, as if she'd get in trouble for admitting it.

Mary Margaret beamed, kissing her forehead. "Well, sweets, we love having you here. We want this to be your home for a very long time."

"Forever?"

"We certainly hope so."

Emma's eyes widened in wonder. She had spent so much time in her old home dreading the thought of being there forever. She would go to nursery school and wish she could just live there. She had a nice teacher and it was the one place she was guaranteed at least a snack. Yet she liked living with Mary Margaret and David. She even found herself wanting to talk more with David, even if she didn't feel that she could trust him yet. He was really nice and had given her the lamb. He didn't seem like Ed, she just wasn't sure yet.

"I'd wanna be here forever," she said, finally.

Mary Margaret stroked her cheek. "We're going to do all we can to make sure that you stay with us forever, I promise." She kissed the top of her head. "Goodnight, sweetheart. I love you."

"You…you love me?"

"Of course I do."

"No one's said that before to me."

The thought alone made Mary Margaret's heart break. She had loved Emma from the moment she laid eyes on her. How could no one have said it to her in her whole life? She took a deep breath, trying to remind herself that Emma had been in a vastly different situation. She didn't want to make her think she had said anything wrong.

"Well, I do. David does too, get some sleep, okay?"

Emma nodded. "'Kay. Night."

Mary Margaret stood up, walking out of the room. Once she had shut the door, she broke down in tears. Emma was only 5-years-old. She tried to remember back to that time in her life. Things had been so carefree, she had felt on top of the world. When she was that age, she feared make-believe monsters like the Boogeyman. For her entire life, Emma had been facing a real-life monster. She had survived it all and still managed to be able to trust someone like Mary Margaret right off the bat. She wished she could have her strength.

For so long, she had wondered why she wasn't able to get pregnant. She felt the resentment of her friends as each of them seemed to get pregnant in turn. Even Mal, who had used IVF as a single parent to conceive Lily had done it in one try. She had forced a smile and congratulated them each and every time. Yet, she had an empty guest bedroom, one just waiting to be a home to a child.

Now it was filled, as was her heart. She didn't need to get pregnant to have a baby. She already loved Emma so much and couldn't imagine giving her up. She knew it wasn't going to be easy to terminate Ed's rights, but she was determined. Emma was her child, no one was going to change that.

* * *

The next morning, David woke up to find his wife's head on his chest. He kissed her temple and stared down at her in wonder. It was hard to believe that he had known her for 10 years, it seemed like a lifetime. The two had met during their 2nd week of college. Mary Margaret had been sitting in the common area, reading a book as she munched on some M&Ms. David sat across from her, trying to study for his first test. He kept glancing up at her and smiling, which she would politely return before going back to her book.

Eventually, he had moved closer to her and commented on how delicious her candy looked.

" _Sharing is caring."_ He had slipped in.

Mary Margaret playfully rolled her eyes and passed the bag to him, causing him to pop a few in his mouth, chomping on them as he did.

" _You're a real prince charming."_ She told him with a smirk.

Just like that, they launched into talking about their classes and professors. They talked for so long, they were nearly late to their next classes. She had mentioned her weakness was in math and he offered his number to tutor her. He had put "Prince Charming" as the contact name, so it was awhile before she finally learned his name.

Their second tutoring session, they kissed. A few weeks later, she was fooling around in his bedroom and tried on his mother's ring. It was then he knew that one day he was going to marry her.

He did exactly that 5 years later. They married in a very small ceremony. Only Regina, Ruth, Robert and David's roommate, Lance, had been present. Lance had gotten ordained over the internet and married the two of them. When Mary Margaret got her job assignment in Storybrooke, they moved there and he had gotten a job at the station as rookie. He became one of the youngest sheriffs at 26, in the midst of them trying to have a child. They thought maybe it would be a sign, yet it wasn't.

Mary Margaret asked him once why he didn't just walk away, find someone who could give him a baby. He was almost offended by the question. When he got married, he hadn't done it to find a baby machine, he had done it because he was in love with her. If it had been just them for the rest of their days, he would've been just fine with that. David loved his wife more than words would ever be able to express.

Things were different then, though. It wasn't just them anymore. He knew that Mary Margaret had fallen in love with Emma, as had he. He knew it was dangerous. Things weren't final, Ed still had rights. However, he wouldn't be out of prison until Emma was older, that had to count for something in the court's eyes. He wasn't going to lose his daughter, she was theirs forever. Never again would it just be the two of them.

David leaned down, kissing his wife's temple. Her eyes flickered open and she smiled a bit, reaching up to touch his cheek.

"Morning," she mumbled.

"Good morning, beautiful."

"What time is it?"

"Just about 6:30. We should probably get up, it's Emma's first day of school."

A lazy grin spread across her face. "It is, isn't it. What time do you have to be at work?"

"Not 'til 10. How about I hop in the shower while you get her up? I'll make us some pancakes."

"Sounds like a plan."

They kissed before spreading out in separate directions. David showered pretty quickly and pulled on his standard work outfit. He was lucky that the station didn't really have a uniform. All employees were required to wear a badge, but outside that, most just wore flannel and jeans along with leather jackets. He could remember the stuffy uniform he had to wear when he worked as a security guard on the college campus and was grateful to not have to return to that.

He headed downstairs and started on the breakfast. He hadn't gotten too far into it when Emma walked in. She was wearing a yellow and blue Wonder Woman shirt along with a pair of jeans. Mary Margaret had taken the time to brush her hair out into braids as well, which made her look even more adorable.

"You look so cute," David said.

Emma blushed a little. "Thank you. What are you making?"

"Pancakes. Wanna help?"

"I'm not good at cooking."

"I'll teach you, come on."

Emma walked to his side and allowed David to put her on the counter. He gave her different things to put in the bowl every so often, teaching her how to crack an egg properly. Eventually, he held up a bottle, though he hid the label on it.

"This is a very special secret ingredient, even Mary Margaret doesn't know it. The only person who does is my father and brother. Can I trust you with it?"

Emma smiled and nodded. "Uh huh."

David slowly removed his hand from over it and showed her. "Nutmeg."

"Nutmeg," she repeated, so she could remember it for the future.

David showed her how to pour out just the right amount into the bowl and then started on making the pancakes. He kept a hold on Emma on his hip so she couldn't get near the hot stove.

"You have a brother?" Emma asked, that part suddenly dawning on her.

"Um, yeah. He was my twin."

"Oh. Can I meet him?"

"He um, he went to Heaven."

Emma frowned. "My first mommy went to Heaven."

"Oh?"

"She got really sick. She had a needle in her arm, Auntie Ingrid said she was just sleeping, but Daddy said she died."

David bit his lip, he hadn't realized that Emma had been there when Helga died. "That's terrible."

"She wasn't nice, like Mary Margaret is. She yelled at me, said not nice things. But I was still sad when she died."

"She was your mommy, I'm sure it was all confusing. It's okay to feel however you do about your biological parents."

"I'm mad at Daddy."

David bit his lip, tilting his head. "You are?"

"He touched me where he wasn't supposed to." It was so hard to hear those words coming out of a voice so little. "Even when I said no."

"It's okay to be mad at him, he deserves that. Just know that he will never be able to hurt you like that again," David promised. "I won't hurt you like that."

Emma studied his face curiously. She wanted to believe him, she really did. It was just that every other adult male that she came into contact with had proven her wrong. She simply rested her head on his shoulder as he cooked, an action that made his heart melt. Eventually, Mary Margaret entered the kitchen, a smile on her face. Emma looked so natural in David's arms, almost comfortable.

"Helping David make breakfast?" She asked.

Emma nodded. "I learned the secret ingredient. It's…" She remembered it wasn't meant to be told and giggled. "A secret."

"Wow, you even learned the special secret ingredient? I never did." She kissed Emma's cheek before pecking David's lips. "What kind of pancakes are you making?"

"Chocolate chip."

"Sounds yummy." Though she shot a sideway glance. It was too early in the morning for sweets. However, the glee on Emma's face couldn't make her too mad.

Eventually, they all sat around the table for breakfast. Emma ate quickly as they noticed she typically did around mealtimes. She still didn't realize that the food wasn't going anywhere. Snow pushed her special shake closer to her, which contained the formula that Whale had recommended to help her gain weight.

"Are you excited for school, Em?" David asked.

Emma shrugged. "I dunno. I get to see Lily."

"That's fun. I'm sure you'll meet other friends as well."

"If I don't like it…can I stay home?"

David chuckled. "It doesn't work like that, Princess," he said. "But I wouldn't worry about that. You're going to love your new school and make so many friends."

"Do you work at the school like Mary?"

"Nope, I'm the sheriff, remember? I go to a different job."

"Right. Can I go there too?"

"Maybe one day you can visit, you can meet all of my co-workers, too. I'm sure that Graham and Leroy would be happy to meet you."

Once breakfast was done, Mary Margaret wiped off Emma's face and they climbed into the car, heading for the school. Emma clung to Mary Margaret's hand as they walked into the large building. Despite only the kindergarten classes starting that day, there were still a lot of kids running around, parents trying to keep up with them. Emma slowly entered the room with her foster parents, greeted by a tall woman with long dark hair.

"Hello, my name is Miss Jasmine. You must be Emma."

"How do you know my name?" Emma asked.

Jasmine lightly laughed. "I know your mommy, we've been friends for a few years. She told me that you were coming to stay with her. That's a very cute backpack, why don't I show you where to put it?"

Emma hesitantly followed her teacher over to where the cubbies were and allowed her to show her how to hang it up. Mary Margaret didn't miss the top of Luke's head poking out of the top. Emma must have snuck him in. She couldn't help but smile at that, not minding that her daughter needed him to feel safe. David saw it as well and felt his heart melt. Emma may have been skeptical about him, but at least she seemed to be attached to the toy he had bought for her.

They found Lily, who had run from Mal to greet some of her other friends. Among the children was another friendly face, August Booth. He was the son of Marco, who owned a furniture store on Main Street. Mary Margaret lead Emma over to the children. Lily looked up, grinning.

"Emma! Guys, this is Emma!"

Emma shyly waved. "Hi," she whispered.

"I'm August," spoke up the little boy. "That's Baelfire." He pointed to his friend.

Baelfire waved as well, though he didn't look too happy. Belle stepped out from behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "He's a bit shy about having to repeat kindergarten."

"It's fun, because we can all be in the same class," Lily proclaimed. "Emma, come on. Let's go play with the blocks!"

Emma turned to look at Mary Margaret and David, who both knelt in front of her, each taking a hand.

"It'll be okay, Em," David promised. "Mary Margaret will come pick you up at 3."

"Promise?" Emma asked, looking over at Mary Margaret, who nodded.

"Yes. Then we'll go home and David will be back in time for dinner. It's going to be okay. You're going to have lots of fun. We promise."

Emma let out a deep breath and gave her a hug, which caught the woman off guard. She returned it for a moment before Emma turned to play with her new friends. David and Mary Margaret rose to their feet, standing with Mal, Marco, Belle and Gold, watching their children play together. Jasmine grinned at the group, placing a hand on Mary Margaret's shoulder.

"The kids will be fine, I promise."

"You have my number, don't you?"

Jasmine nodded. "I do. Now, go. It's time to let go."

David let out a deep breath, not sure if he was ready for that. Emma seemed to be doing fine, though. She was showing the boys and Lily how to build a pretty awesome tower. He figured she'd be okay, she was in good company. Slowly, the parents exited the classroom, heading their separate ways. David drove his truck his back to the house, lingering in the driveway with her.

"You'll call me if Jasmine does?"

"Of course. I have a feeling she's going to be just fine. It is just kindergarten."

David frowned. "I know, I'd just feel better if we were all together."

"As would I, but this is all normal." She kissed him. "Have a good day at work, okay? I love you."

"I love you too. What are you going to do today?"

"Get ready for tomorrow. Today was Emma's big day, that's mine."

"Twenty 4th graders…I do not envy you."

She rolled her eyes. "You're so funny. Have a good day, Charming."

"You too, my love."

The day went by quicker than Mary Margaret expected. She managed to get all of her decorations in order and consulted her class list, she had a pretty good group that year. She was the only 4th grade teacher for the school and realized it meant in a few years-time, Emma would be her student. She couldn't wait to see how that was going to go.

When it was time to pick Emma up, she drove her own car back to the school. The students were outside on the playground, running around. She was afraid she'd pull up and find Emma alone on the swings. Instead, she found Emma chasing Lily, Baelfire and August in a game of tag. She had a huge smile on her face as she did. She didn't even notice Mary Margaret at first and once she did, she ran over with August in tow.

"Mary Margaret, Mary Margaret! Can I go to August's birthday party next weekend?"

Mary Margaret grinned. "I don't see why not? August, have your papa call me, okay?"

"'Kay Miss Mary Margaret. Bye Emma! See you tomorrow!"

Emma picked up her backpack and started following her foster mother off of the playground. "So, something tells me that you had a fun day," Mary Margaret said.

"So much fun! We did a fun game to learn each other's names and Miss Jasmine read us stories. We got to go outside twice! Oh, I even got to make a picture." She dug through her backpack and pulled it out. "We had to make ones of our families…even though you're my foster mommy and daddy, Miss Jasmine said it was okay if I made one of us."

Mary Margaret took the picture and looked down at it. The drawing was absolutely adorable, featuring stick figure versions of their family. She had drawn Mary Margaret with her short hair and wearing a pink top, while she had clearly tried to make a version of David's flannel shirts. Emma, herself, was standing in the middle of them. It touched her heart to see the drawing. Even though Emma only viewed the situation as temporary, she had wanted to draw them as her family.

"It's for you," Emma continued. "You can keep it."

Mary Margaret felt the tears prickle her eyes. "Sweets, I love this. I think this is my most favorite picture that I've ever received, thank you." She kissed her cheek. "Do you mind if I hang it up on our fridge?"

Emma's eyes sparkled. "Really? Like mommies and daddies do on T.V."

"That's exactly right."

* * *

School turned out to be one of the best things for Emma. She lit up every time she saw her friends when Mary Margaret dropped her off and every day after school, she had a new art project to show off. By the end of the weekend, the fridge was already plastered with them.

The one thing that school couldn't help, was Emma's nightmares. They seemed to be happening frequently and she didn't always tell Mary Margaret and David about them. She often woke up feeling wet, scared and alone. She didn't want to bother them. The few times that they would come into her room, she claimed she was fine. She didn't want them to know about what she had been through, the fears she had. They said Ed was gone for good, but she didn't know if he could believe that.

That weekend, after a particularly stressful nightmare, David and Mary Margaret figured it was time for them to get out of Storybrooke for the day. Ruth and Robert had invited them to visit the farm and it seemed to be the perfect excuse. Mary Margaret packed a bag with a change of clothes for Emma along with a few other things, like her sippy cup. Emma was fairly quiet on the drive up, though her mood swiftly changed once she saw the farm.

"This is where you grew up?" She asked David in amazement as he lead her by hand through the grass to the front door.

"Yup."

"Where are all the animals?"

"We'll see them, we just have to go get my parents first."

Ruth was so excited to see Emma again, she swooped her up into a big hug, squeezing her tight. Emma only looked a little caught off guard, quickly distracted by the cookies that her new grandmother had out for her. After munching a bit, Robert and David gave her a tour of the entire farm. Emma petted each and every animal, inquiring about their names and making them up if they didn't have one. Both Robert and David knew better than to do so, but figured it wouldn't hurt to let Emma have her fun.

One animal in particular that Emma seemed to fall in love with, was the family's sheep dog, Wilby. He sniffed her hand when she offered it on David's gentle lead and then followed her around everywhere. He knew better than to beg for scraps, but still sat at Emma's feet as she ate lunch with the family. As it got cooler, he allowed her to curl up in his side by the fire, licking her hair. Mary Margaret didn't miss the opportunity to take lots of pictures of the two.

Emma was asleep when it was time to head back to Storybrooke, David's parents promising to visit soon. He strapped Emma into her car seat in the backseat of his pickup before getting up front with Mary Margaret. He was halfway home when he brought up his idea.

"You know, I heard that children of abuse do well with animals," he said.

Mary Margaret tilted her head. "Oh?"

"It'd be great if Emma could come to the farm every weekend, but we know logistically that's not going to work."

"Are you suggesting what I think you are?"

"What do you say that we make this family of 3, a family of 4?"

"I'd say you're insane, but I love you for it."

They did their homework that night and found a Newfoundland that was up for adoption. At 3-years-old, she was big, probably bigger than Emma and would only continue to grow. However, they had the room and the breed was known for being amazing with children. They were very family oriented and would make a good part of the family.

The moment Emma laid eyes on Nana, it was clear she was in love. The dog clearly felt the same, allowing her to hug her tight and plant kisses to her face. Mary Margaret leaned backwards into David, who wrapped his arms around her waist. It wasn't a solution to every problem, but it was a start.

* * *

As always, please let me know what you think and what you'd like to see happen! The next chapter will deal more with David and Emma's relationship, showing more of their bond. You can send me prompts, whether it be for this verse or any of them, to my Tumblrs; just-an-outlaw & justanoutlawfanfiction. I also finally got a Twitter: justanoutlawfic. Until next time friends. =)


	4. Chapter 4

One of the biggest requests was for Emma and David to start bonding. So, that wish will be granted in this chapter. I also had quite a few people ask for Emma to start hoarding food. This chapter really delves into Emma's memories of her life with Ed and Helga. Trigger warnings for mentions of: food insecurity, domestic violence and child abuse.

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Mini-Breakthroughs**

Emma quietly snuck down the stairs. She had willed herself to stay awake through the night once Mary Margaret had tucked her into bed. She had heard she and David turn in for bed not long after that. Nana was curled up on her bed the entire time, clearly telling that something was up. The large dog followed Emma down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Shhhh," Emma put a finger to her lips as she looked down at the dog. "You'll wake them up."

Sneaking into the kitchen, she started looking around to find the best plan. She had done this before, back when she was living with Ed and Helga. Most of the time, she was on her own with cooking. She figured out some basic meals at a young age, like cereal or sandwiches (even if she got sick from the moldy bread they wouldn't throw out). However, sometimes her "kitchen privileges" would be taken away. She would be left going hungry for days. Ed would go as far as locking the cabinets and fridge so she couldn't sneak in. After the first time, Emma hatched a plan.

She'd sneak into the kitchen late at night and grab as much food as she can. She knew what could be stored under her bed or in drawers, not to be found by her abusers. It would be enough to get her through any possible times of being locked in her room or being banned from the kitchen.

Mary Margaret and David were kind. They had told her she was welcome to whatever she wanted in the kitchen. She wanted to believe them, that they would never do the same things that Ed and Helga had. At the same time, she had to protect herself. She wasn't going to risk going hungry ever again.

Quietly as possible, she pushed the chair over to the cupboard and opened it. She grabbed some Hostess snack packages, along with little baggies of fruit snacks and animal crackers. Not enough to raise suspicion, she had been doing this since her first night there. She was slowly gathering a collection. The whole box of fruit snacks going missing would make them worry since Emma was the only one who ate them. She stuffed them into the pockets of her pajamas and then put the chair back. She then went to the fridge and took two juice boxes along with three bottles of water. There was no way to keep them cool in her room, but at the very least she'd have something to drink.

Nana had been silent the entire time, quietly following her around from place to place. She didn't even try to eat the snacks out of Emma's hands, as if she understood. To reward her, Emma fed her a dog biscuit and then decided to grab a few more…just in case Nana was ever "punished". She never had a pet before, but she wanted to be safe.

Going back upstairs, she stashed them in her suitcase under the bed. There would be no reason for Mary Margaret and David to ever search it. Her collection was growing just fine. She would be fine if they suddenly decided she didn't deserve to eat. Letting out a content sigh, Emma rubbed her eyes and climbed back into bed. She wasn't going to be the happiest girl come morning, but it was going to be worth it.

She really liked it where she was. Mary Margaret and David were so nice. They had gotten her toys, a dog even. They even said she could go to August's birthday party, Ed and Helga had never let her play with her friends, ever. They didn't hit her and David hadn't even tried to touch her anywhere. She wanted to believe things could be different, she didn't want them to be like before.

At the same time, she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Helga had good days, too. Sometimes even good weeks. She'd cook for Emma, play with her. They didn't have a lot of money, but they'd head to the park and have fun. Once, Helga even packed their bags and they went on "vacation". They stayed in a motel 5 minutes away from the house and said that they were leaving Boston, they'd go some place where it was warm and sunny. She hadn't been drinking her grown up juice or taking funny looking vitamins.

Then Ed showed up. Helga told Emma to hide in the bathroom. There was lots of screaming and then crying (from Helga). A half hour later, the door opened and Ed scooped her up. Helga looked different, she had a handprint on her face. She started drinking and taking her weird vitamins. She started hitting Emma again and didn't apologize for it anymore.

Two months later and Emma came home from pre-school. Helga was laying on the floor, a needle in her arm. Her eyes were rolled into the back of her head and she didn't wake up, no matter how many times Emma shook her. Ingrid came by and told her to go to her room. An ambulance came and some police officers asked her what happened, but she couldn't help much.

Things got even worse after that. Ed was touching her more, told her she had to make up for Helga being gone. He was taking pictures too. She would cry and ask him to stop, but he never did. Sometimes his friends would come by and "help". There was one friend that had a hook for one hand. He could be even scarier than Ed. He'd laugh every time Emma told him to go away. However, his wound would be the one that saved her.

He had gotten frustrated when Emma tried to run away and punched her in the stomach. The next day at school, she told her teacher that her stomach hurt. They found bruises lining it along with on her back. There were lots of pictures taken that day and she had to talk to a lot of people. Helen had showed up and promised her that she wouldn't be in trouble, no matter what she said. So, she told them that Ed and Killian had been touching her in places where they weren't supposed to. (She only knew that because her teacher had taught her and her classmates about it.)

They had to let her go home with Ed that day, but a few days later the police showed up once more. This time, they arrested both Ed and Killian. Helen was there again, she let Emma grab her blanket and took her to the police station. That had been just a couple of weeks ago. So much had changed within that time.

The words Ed shouted out to her when she was being taken to Helen's car scared her.

" _You will be mine again!"_

Emma buried her head into her pillow and clamped her eyes shut. She wanted the scary thoughts to go away, she just wanted to enjoy being with Mary Margaret and David. They were like the first real mommy and daddy she had ever had.

* * *

That Monday, Mary Margaret walked into Emma's room to wake her up for school. She gently shook her and Emma whined, rolling over. She was clinging tightly to her blanket and stuffed lamb. Mary Margaret tilted her head, something didn't seem right. She touched her foster daughter's forehead and frowned. She was burning up.

"Stay right here, sweets," she said. "I'll be right back."

Heading into her bedroom, she grabbed the thermometer and went back to Emma's. She realized she had a temperature of 101 degrees.

"Emma, sweetheart, does anything hurt?"

"My tummy," Emma admitted with a small whine.

Mary Margaret's frown grew. "Does it feel like you're going to throw up?" Emma nodded. "Okay, let's get you to the…"

She was cut off by Emma throwing up down her pajama top. She immediately began to cry after that. Mary Margaret gently lifted her into her arms.

"I'm sorry," Emma wailed.

"Shhhh, it's okay, I'm not mad at you," she assured. "You're sick. Come on, let's get you in a bath and into some fresh jammies."

Emma sniffled. "I can't wear jammies to school."

Mary Margaret softly smiled. "You're not going to school today, you're too sick to go."

Emma didn't know how to respond to that. Mary Margaret carried her to the bathroom and helped her take a bath. Emma seemed lethargic and was more clingy, not flinching as much as she usually did. Mary Margaret changed her into some new sheep pajamas and by the time she was all dried, David walked into the bedroom.

"What's going on? Is it PJ day at school?" He asked with a glimmer of glee in his eye.

Mary Margaret shook her head. "Emma here isn't feeling too well, she has a fever and threw up. I think she needs to stay home today." She stood up and frowned. "I would stay home with her, but we have a sub shortage…."

"Don't worry, it's my day off," David said. "I can take care of her."

Mary Margaret hesitated. She trusted her husband with Emma, of course she did. She wouldn't have agreed to foster with him if she didn't. However, the two hadn't been left alone before. Emma was still squeamish around grown men and while she clearly liked David, she wasn't entirely open with him. She tended to go to her foster mother if she needed something. However, Mary Margaret knew she didn't have much of a choice. She had to go to work and Emma needed to get used to David in time.

She knelt back down in front of Emma. "Sweetheart, I have to go to work, do you think you'll be okay here with David?"

Emma chewed on her lip. "You'll come back?"

"Of course. David will take good care of you, I promise."

She looked over at David, who was smiling. "Okay…"

David understood Emma's hesitance and would do whatever he could to make Emma feel more comfortable. Mary Margaret kissed the top of Emma's head and turned back to her husband, rattling off any instructions she could think of, telling him where the medicine was. David put his hands on her shoulders.

"I've got this," he assured her. "I know how to take care of a sick child." He noticed Nana coming in the room. "Plus, I've got Nana for backup."

Mary Margaret chuckled. "Alright." She turned back to Emma and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, feel better." She then pecked her husband's lips. "And I love you."

"I love you too, I promise I'll take great care of her."

"I know you will."

Mary Margaret headed out the door and soon her car could be heard pulling out of the driveway. David looked down at the tiny girl and offered his hand out to her. Emma accepted it and followed him downstairs. In her other arm, she had her lamb plushie clutched tightly to her chest, her blankie dragging down behind her. David set up some pillows on the couch and grabbed a quilt, draping it over Emma once she laid down.

"Alright, patient," he said with a very serious voice. "I am Dr. David and I am going to be taking care of you today."

A small giggle escaped Emma's lips. "You're not a doctor, silly. You're the sheriff."

"I wear many hats," he replied with a wink. "Now, I'm going to make you some breakfast and get you some medicine. In the meantime, I prescribe you watch some Doc McStuffins."

He turned on the T.V and headed into the kitchen. He decided to make some plain toast and pour out some juice for Emma, mixing in her formula from Whale. He was worried about her losing even more weight from being sick. There was a 24 hour stomach bug going around her class, but he didn't want it to get worse. He grabbed some Pepto from the medicine cabinet and poured that out as well. When he walked back into the living room, Emma was clearly comfortable and happy as a sick person could be on the couch. He snapped a quick picture and sent it to Mary Margaret to ease her worry. Emma's eyes lit up when she saw the tray in his hands.

"I can eat in the living room?"

"Yup." He settled the tray down on top of her. "For your dining pleasure, toast with a bit of applesauce on top, perfect for an upset tummy."

Emma eyed it suspiciously. "I won't throw up again?"

"I can't promise, but you do need to eat. Plus, some orange juice…and medicine."

She made a face. "Do I have to take it?"

"Afraid so, it's not too bad."

Emma slowly picked it up and sipped it, making an even bigger face. She finished it off though and then threw the cup down.

"Yuck."

David chuckled. "Sorry, but it will help."

He settled down at her feet as she ate her breakfast. He watched the cartoon on the T.V, commenting every so often on one of the toys being "operated" on. Emma was quiet for the most part, just nibbling on her toast and sipping her orange juice. Soon, she began to look a little green. He hopped into action and grabbed a plastic bag, holding it to her mouth. Emma let the contents of her stomach out into it and he stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry, Princess," he whispered.

"Yucky," she mumbled.

"You'll feel better soon, I promise. How about some more juice?"

Emma nodded and he threw the bag out in the trash. He got another, just in case, and got her some more juice as well. When the episode was over, David put on Finding Nemo, which seemed to cheer Emma up a bit. She drifted off to sleep near the end, having not thrown up again. David smiled and kissed the top of her head as she snoozed.

She was such a beautiful little girl. How anyone could be so cruel astounded him. Even after all his years of being a cop, he didn't understand it. Children were precious, they didn't deserve any abuse, let alone the amount that Emma had been through. He wasn't a big believer in the death penalty, but in Ed's case, he wanted it more than anything. Then again, death was too good for him. He deserved to be tortured for life, to know the pain that Emma had felt during her short 5 years of life.

About two hours into Emma's nap, he was still sitting at her feet, watching a family friendly comedy in case she woke up. He heard his phone ring and took it into the other room when he saw Mary Margaret's face on the screen.

"Hey baby," he said. "How's your day going?"

"It's pretty good. How's our girl?"

"She threw up again, but only the one time. She's been fine outside of that, seems to be just as warm, though. I'll take her temperature when she wakes up and gives her more medicine."

"And she's been fine for you?"

"Yup, we've just been chilling."

"I'm glad."

David smiled. "Me too."

As they talked in the security of his office, a woke up. She watched the first few minutes of How I Met Your Mother, but quickly got bored. It wasn't really her cup of tea. Her stomach wasn't feeling as gross anymore and she was really thirsty, but David was nowhere in sight. Picking up her sippy cup, she hopped off the couch and headed into the kitchen. The orange juice was on the third shelf and she was too short to reach it. She started climbing up the shelves to reach it, soon reaching her desired item.

"Gotchya," she said, determined.

As she grabbed onto it, her other arm swung and the sippy cup hit a glass container of ice tea. It came crashing down to the floor and shattered all over. Emma froze in place as she was hit by a memory.

 _It had been a rainy day, so she couldn't play outside. However, Emma had a lot of energy about her. She was running around the house, playing tag with herself. Helga was out and Ed was in his room, putting needles in his arms. Just as she rounded the table yet again, she knocked into it, causing a 6 pack of beer Ed had just purchased to come careening onto the carpet. It shattered and the overwhelming smell of the alcohol could be smelt all over the room. Ed stormed out of his room and Emma saw his wild eyes._

" _What the hell have you done now?" He saw the beer all over the floor. "You stupid piece of shit! Do you have any idea how much that cost?"_

" _I…I…I'm sorry…"_

" _You're always fucking sorry. Jesus Christ, when will you ever learn?"_

 _Emma cowered against the couch, holding her hands up over her face, but it was too late. Ed had gotten his belt off in quick succession. The leather was soon colliding with her lips and she could taste the blood._

Emma hopped down from the shelf, somehow miraculously avoiding the glass and sticky beverage. She raced up the stairs to her room and slammed the door shut. Her eyes darted around the room for a safe spot, soon locating the bed. She dived under it, pulling her legs to her chest and doing her best to not sob loudly. She could hear Nana barking downstairs and David calling her name. She put her hand over her mouth and continued to cry.

The footsteps were getting closer and she was getting even more scared. The sound of door opening made her whimper and she buried her face in her hands.

"Emma," David's voice was closer. "Emma, Princess, are you okay?"

The words stilled Emma. No one had ever asked her that after she broke something.

David could obviously hear the sniffling and knelt down by the bed, moving up the blankets so he could see under it. He found Emma there, crying. His heart broke. Before he could say anything reassuring, she moved her hand from her mouth.

"I'm sorry! Please don't hit me!"

His heart sunk lower in his chest and a frown fell across his face. She thought he was going to hit her? What had happened to her before?

"I just…I just wanted more juice and I couldn't find you," she continued. "I accidentally hit the bottle, I didn't mean to! I can…I can get monies for it and pay you. I know Mary Margaret likes it…I'm really sorry!"

"Oh Emma," David whispered. "Sweetheart, you're not in trouble."

Emma sniffled. "I'm not?"

"No, it was an accident. You didn't purposefully break it. Even if you had, you would get a timeout or something taken away. I am never going to hit you or do anything to hurt you. I won't ever touch you in a way that I shouldn't."

Emma looked into his eyes and could tell he was being honest. She had spent so long being afraid of men, but she really wanted to trust David. Slowly, she moved out from under the bed, still clinging tight to her comfort items.

"And you don't have to worry about paying us," David gave her a soft smile. "You're just a little girl, you don't have to buy anything. We'll buy everything you need. I can get Mary Margaret more tea."

Emma nodded. "Okay."

"Did you get hurt from the glass?"

"Nuh uh."

"Can I check?"

Emma hesitated but then nodded once again, allowing David to check her for any cuts or blood. When he was finished, she slowly wrapped her arms around him. David was still for a moment. Emma had never made the first move to be affectionate with him. He was very careful with her, knowing that anything could trigger her. He just wanted her to trust her and it was clear she was staring to. He hugged her back tighter, cradling the back of her head. He kissed her temple and she buried her head into his shoulder.

"I love you, Emma," he whispered.

"Love you too," she mumbled. She wasn't sure what love really was, she had never said that to anyone before, but she felt something in her heart for David, Mary Margaret too.

That brought tears to David's eyes and he had to find a way to clear them up before she pulled away from him. He didn't want her to think there was anything wrong with her saying that. He blinked a few times before she pulled away, rubbing her eyes.

"How about we go back downstairs?" He offered. "You can lay on the couch and I'll clean up the mess before making us some lunch."

"I could help clean up," Emma offered. "I'm good at holding the dustpan."

David smiled a bit. "If there wasn't glass involved, I'd say yes. But maybe you could help me clean up some of Nana's fur when you're feeling better."

"Okay," Emma agreed.

She allowed him to carry her downstairs and tuck her back in on the couch. He didn't miss her content sigh after he kissed her forehead. They still had ways to go, but slowly, they were making progress.

* * *

I hope you all enjoyed that chapter! As always, please tell me what you want to see and what you thought. Until next time, friends. =)


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